Owing to the immobility of traditional reactors and spallation neutron sources,the demand for compact thermal neutron radiography(CTNR)based on accelerator neutron sources has rapidly increased in industrial applicati...Owing to the immobility of traditional reactors and spallation neutron sources,the demand for compact thermal neutron radiography(CTNR)based on accelerator neutron sources has rapidly increased in industrial applications.Recently,thermal neutron radiography experiments based on a D-T neutron generator performed by Hefei Institutes of Physical Science indicated a significant resolution deviation between the experimental results and the values calculated using the traditional resolution model.The experimental result was up to 23%lower than the calculated result,which hinders the achievement of the design goal of a compact neutron radiography system.A GEANT4 Monte Carlo code was developed to simulate the CTNR process,aiming to identify the key factors leading to resolution deviation.The effects of a low collimation ratio and high-energy neutrons were analyzed based on the neutron beam environment of the CTNR system.The results showed that the deviation was primarily caused by geometric distortion at low collimation ratios and radiation noise induced by highenergy neutrons.Additionally,the theoretical model was modified by considering the imaging position and radiation noise factors.The modified theoretical model was in good agreement with the experimental results,and the maximum deviation was reduced to 4.22%.This can be useful for the high-precision design of CTNR systems.展开更多
Gamma-emitting radionuclide ^(99m)Tc is globally used for the diagnosis of various pathological conditions owing to its ideal single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) characteristics.However,the short half-l...Gamma-emitting radionuclide ^(99m)Tc is globally used for the diagnosis of various pathological conditions owing to its ideal single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) characteristics.However,the short half-life of ^(99m)Tc (T_(1/2)=6 h)makes it difficult to store or transport.Thus,the production of ^(99m)Tc is tied to its parent radionuclide ^(99)Mo (T_(1/2)=66 h).The major production paths are based on accelerators and research reactors.The reactor process presents the potential for nuclear proliferation owing to its use of highly enriched uranium (HEU).Accelerator-based methods tend to use deuterium–tritium(D–T) neutron sources but are hindered by the high cost of tritium and its challenging operation.In this study,a new ^(99)Mo production design was developed based on a deuterium–deuterium (D–D) gas dynamic trap fusion neutron source (GDT-FNS) and a subcritical blanket system (SBS) assembly with a low-enriched uranium (LEU) solution.GDT-FNS can provide a relatively high-neutron intensity,which is one of the advantages of ^(99)Mo production.We provide a Monte Carlo-based neutronics analysis covering the calculation of the subcritical multiplication factor (k_(s)) of the SBS,optimization design for the reflector,shielding layer,and ^(99)Mo production capacity.Other calculations,including the neutron flux and nuclear heating distributions,are also provided for an overall evaluation of the production system.The results demonstrated that the SBS meets the nuclear critical safety design requirement (k_(s)<0.97) and maintained a high ^(99)Mo production capacity.The proposed system can generate approximately 157 Ci ^(99)Mo for a stable 24 h operation with a neutron intensity of 1×10^(14) n/s,which can meet 50%of China’s demand in 2025.展开更多
Displacement damage effects on the charge-coupled device(CCD)induced by neutrons at the back-streaming white neutron source(Back-n)in the China Spallation Neutron Source(CSNS)are analyzed according to an online irradi...Displacement damage effects on the charge-coupled device(CCD)induced by neutrons at the back-streaming white neutron source(Back-n)in the China Spallation Neutron Source(CSNS)are analyzed according to an online irradiation experiment.The hot pixels,random telegraph signal(RTS),mean dark signal,dark current and dark signal non-uniformity(DSNU)induced by Back-n are presented.The dark current is calculated according to the mean dark signal at various integration times.The single-particle displacement damage and transient response are also observed based on the online measurement data.The trends of hot pixels,mean dark signal,DSNU and RTS degradation are related to the integration time and irradiation fluence.The mean dark signal,dark current and DSNU2 are nearly linear with neutron irradiation fluence when nearly all the pixels do not reach saturation.In addition,the mechanisms of the displacement damage effects on the CCD are demonstrated by combining the experimental results and technology computer-aided design(TCAD)simulation.Radiation-induced traps in the space charge region of the CCD will act as generation/recombination centers of electron-hole pairs,leading to an increase in the dark signal.展开更多
A scintillator detector consisting of a LaBr_(3)(Ce)(0.5%)scintillator,a photomultiplier tube(PMT),and an oscilloscope were used to study the neutron sensitivities of the LaBr_(3)(Ce)scintillator at the China Spallati...A scintillator detector consisting of a LaBr_(3)(Ce)(0.5%)scintillator,a photomultiplier tube(PMT),and an oscilloscope were used to study the neutron sensitivities of the LaBr_(3)(Ce)scintillator at the China Spallation Neutron Source(CSNS)Back-n white neutron source in the double-bunch and single-bunch operation modes,respectively.Under the two operational modes,the relative neutron sensitivity curves of the LaBr_(3)(Ce)scintillator in the energy regions of 1–20 MeV and 0.5–20 MeV were obtained for the first time.In the energy range of 1–20 MeV,the two curves were nearly identical.However the relative neutron sensitivity uncertainties of the double-bunch experiment were higher than those of the single-bunch experiment.The above results indicated that the single-bunch experiment's neutron sensitivity curve has a lower minimum measurable energy than the double-bunch experiment.Above the minimum measurable energy of the double-bunch experiment,there is little difference between the measured relative neutron sensitivity curves of the single-bunch and double-bunch experiments of the LaBr_(3)(Ce)scintillator and those of other scintillators with a similar neutron response signal intensity.展开更多
The energy-resolved neutron imaging spectrometer(ERNI)will be installed in 2022 according to the spectrometer construction plan of the China Spallation Neutron Source(CSNS).The instrument requires neutron detectors wi...The energy-resolved neutron imaging spectrometer(ERNI)will be installed in 2022 according to the spectrometer construction plan of the China Spallation Neutron Source(CSNS).The instrument requires neutron detectors with the coverage area of approximately 4 m^(2)in 5°-170°neutron diffraction angle.The neutron detection efficiency needs to be better than 40%at 1 A neutron wavelength.The spatial resolution should be better than 3 mm×50 mm in the horizontal and vertical directions respectively.We develop a one-dimensional scintillator neutron detector which is composed of the^(6)Li F/Zn S(Ag)scintillation screens,the wavelength-shifting fiber(WLSF)array,the silicon photomultipliers(Si PMs),and the self-designed application-specific integrated circuit(ASIC)readout electronics.The pixel size of the detector is designed as 3 mm×50 mm,and the neutron-sensitive area is 50 mm×200 mm.The performance of the detector prototype is measured using neutron beam 20#of the CSNS.The maximum counting rate of 247 k Hz,and the detection efficiency of63%at 1.59 A are obtained.The test results show that the performance of the detector fulfills the physical requirements of the ERNI under construction at the CSNS.展开更多
Back-streaming neutrons from the spallation target of the China Spallation Neutron Source(CSNS)that emit through the incoming proton channel were exploited to build a white neutron beam facility(the so-called Back-n w...Back-streaming neutrons from the spallation target of the China Spallation Neutron Source(CSNS)that emit through the incoming proton channel were exploited to build a white neutron beam facility(the so-called Back-n white neutron source),which was completed in March 2018.The Back-n neutron beam is very intense,at approximately 29107 n/cm2/s at 55 m from the target,and has a nominal proton beam with a power of 100 kW in the CSNS-I phase and a kinetic energy of 1.6 GeV and a thick tungsten target in multiple slices with modest moderation from the cooling water through the slices.In addition,the excellent energy spectrum spanning from 0.5 eV to 200 MeV,and a good time resolution related tothe time-of-flight measurements make it a typical white neutron source for nuclear data measurements;its overall performance is among that of the best white neutron sources in the world.Equipped with advanced spectrometers,detectors,and application utilities,the Back-n facility can serve wide applications,with a focus on neutron-induced cross-sectional measurements.This article presents an overview of the neutron beam characteristics,the experimental setups,and the ongoing applications at Backn.展开更多
The molten salt reactor(MSR) has received much recent attention. The presence of beryllium and the mixing of actinides with light nuclei in the fuel salt result in a relatively strong neutron source that can affect th...The molten salt reactor(MSR) has received much recent attention. The presence of beryllium and the mixing of actinides with light nuclei in the fuel salt result in a relatively strong neutron source that can affect the surveillance at subcritical and transient characteristics during operation. In this study, we predict the inherent neutron sources based on a MSR model. The calculation shows that in the fresh core, the inherent neutron sources are mainly from alpha-induced neutrons. After power operation, the inherent neutron sources become remarkably stronger due to photoneutrons. Although being an insignificant part in the total neutron population during operation, the inherent neutron sources can be used as the installed neutron source after shutdown. If the MSR has continuously operated at full power(2 MWt) for 10 days,then there would be no need for the installed source within80 days after shutdown. After operating constantly for500 days, the installed neutron source can be eliminated within 2 years after shutdown.展开更多
A neutron source driven by electron accelerator is proposed in Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics (SINAP). The facility is planned for the study of nuclear data in Thorium-Uranium cycling system, and for material r...A neutron source driven by electron accelerator is proposed in Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics (SINAP). The facility is planned for the study of nuclear data in Thorium-Uranium cycling system, and for material research. A detailed simulation of the neutron source is performed for the program to get the neutron generation maximum economically. Several parameters of the facility, which affect the neutron yield and the neutron escape from outer surface of the target, are analyzed respectively. Besides, the yielding neutron spectrum and the escaping neutron angular distribution are calculated and discussed.展开更多
This paper proposes a sub-critical nuclear energy system driven by fusion neutron source, FDS, which can be used to transmute long-lived radioactive wastes and to produce fissile nuclear fuel as a way for early applic...This paper proposes a sub-critical nuclear energy system driven by fusion neutron source, FDS, which can be used to transmute long-lived radioactive wastes and to produce fissile nuclear fuel as a way for early application of fusion technology. The necessity and feasibility to develop that system in China are illustrated on the basis of prediction of the demand of energy source in the first half of the 21th century, the status of current fission energy supply and the progress in fusion technology in the world. The characteristics of fusion neutron driver and the potential for transmutation of long-lived nuclear wastes and breeding of fissile nuclear fuel in a blanket are analyzed. A scenario of development steps is proposed.展开更多
The utilization of neutrons markedly affects the medical isotope yield of a subcritical system driven by an external D-T neutron source.The general methods to improve the utilization of neutrons include moderating mul...The utilization of neutrons markedly affects the medical isotope yield of a subcritical system driven by an external D-T neutron source.The general methods to improve the utilization of neutrons include moderating multiplying,and reflecting neutrons,which ignores the use of neutrons that backscatter to the source direction.In this study,a stacked structure was formed by assembling the multiplier and the low-enriched uranium solution to enable the full use of neutrons that backscatter to the source direction and further improve the utilization of neutrons.A model based on SuperMC was used to evaluate the neutronics and safety behavior of the subcritical system,such as the neutron effective multiplication factor,neutron energy spectrum,medical isotope yield,and heat deposition.Based on the calculation results,when the intensity of the neutron source was 59×10^(13)n/s,the optimized design with a stacked structure could increase the yield of ^(99)Mo to182 Ci/day,which is approximately 16% higher than that obtained with a single-layer structure.The inlet H_(2)O coolant velocity of 1.0 m/s and initial temperature of 20℃ were also found to be sufficient to prevent boiling of the fuel solution.展开更多
Controllable D-D neutron sources have a long service life,low cost,and non-radioactivity.There are favorable prospects for its application in geophysical well logging,since traditional chemical radioactive sources use...Controllable D-D neutron sources have a long service life,low cost,and non-radioactivity.There are favorable prospects for its application in geophysical well logging,since traditional chemical radioactive sources used for well logging pose potential threats to the safety of the human body and environment.This paper presents an improved method to measure formation density that employs a D-D neutron source.In addition,the lithological effect on the measured density was removed to better estimate the formation porosity.First,we investigated the spatial distribution of capture gamma rays through Monte Carlo simulations as well as the relationship between the ratio of capture gamma ray counts and formation density to establish theoretical support for the design of density logging tools and their corresponding data processing methods.Second,we obtained the far to near detector counts of captured gamma rays for an optimized tool structure and then established its correlation with the density and porosity of three typical formations with pure quartz,calcite,and dolomite minerals.Third,we determined the values for correcting the densities of sandstone and dolomite with the same porosity using limestone data as the reference and established the equations for calculating the correction values,which lays a solid foundation for accurately calculating formation porosity.We observed that the capture gamma ray counts first increased then decreased and varied in different formations;this was especially observed in high-porosity formations.Under the same lithologic conditions(rock matrix),as the porosity increases,the peak value of gamma ray counts moves toward the neutron source.At different detector-source distances,the ratio of the capture gamma ray counts was well correlated with the formation density.An equation of the formation density conversion was established based on the ratio of capture gamma ray counts at the detector-source distances of 30 cm and 65 cm,and the calculated values were consistent with the true values.After correction,the formation density was highly consistent with the true value of the limestone density,and the mean absolute error was 0.013 g/cm3.The calculated porosity values were very close to the true values,and the mean relative error was 2.33%,highlighting the accuracy of the proposed method.These findings provide a new method for developing D-D neutron source logging tools and their well-log data processing methods.展开更多
Relativistic electron beams driven by laser wakefield acceleration were utilized to produce ultrashort neutron sources.The experiment was carried out on the 38 fs,~0.5 J,800 nm Ti:Sapphire laser in the 10 TW UT 3 lase...Relativistic electron beams driven by laser wakefield acceleration were utilized to produce ultrashort neutron sources.The experiment was carried out on the 38 fs,~0.5 J,800 nm Ti:Sapphire laser in the 10 TW UT 3 laser lab at University of Texas at Austin.The target gas was a high density pulsed gas jet composed of 90%He and 10%N 2.The laser pulse with a peak intensity of 1.5×10^(18) W/cm^(2) interacted with the target to create a cylindrical plasma channel of 60 mm radius(FWHM)and 1.5 mm length(FWHM).Electron beams of~80 pC with the Gaussian energy distribution centered at 37 MeV and a width of 30 MeV(FWHM)were produced via laser wakefield acceleration.Neutron fluences of~2.4×10^(6) per shot with hundreds of ps temporal length were generated through bremsstrahlung and subsequent photoneutron reactions in a 26.6 mm thick tungsten converter.Results were compared with those of simulations using EPOCH and GEANT4,showing agreement in electron spectrum,neutron fluence,neutron angular distribution and conversion rate.展开更多
Effect of various spatial and energy distributions of fusion neutron source on the calculation of neutron wall loading of Tokamak D-D fusion device has been investigated by means of the 3-D Monte Carlo code MCNP. A re...Effect of various spatial and energy distributions of fusion neutron source on the calculation of neutron wall loading of Tokamak D-D fusion device has been investigated by means of the 3-D Monte Carlo code MCNP. A realistic Monte Carlo source model was developed based on the accurate representation of the spatial distribution and energy spectrum of fusion neutrons to solve the complicated problem of tokamak fusion neutron source modelling. The results show that those simplified source models will introduce significant uncertainties. For accurate estimation of the key nuclear responses of the tokamak design and analyses, the use of the realistic source is recommended. In addition, the accumulation of tritium produced during D-D plasma operation should be carefully considered.展开更多
Experiments were performed on a high-speed online random neutron analyzing system (HORNA system) with a 252Cf neutron source (up to 1 GHz sampling rate and 3 input data channel),to obtain timeand frequency dependent s...Experiments were performed on a high-speed online random neutron analyzing system (HORNA system) with a 252Cf neutron source (up to 1 GHz sampling rate and 3 input data channel),to obtain timeand frequency dependent signatures which are sensitive to changes in the composition,fissile mass and configuration of the fissile assembly.The data were acquired by three high-speed synchronized acquisition cards at different detector angles,source-detector distances and block sizes.According to the relationship between 252Cf source and the ratio of power spectral density,Rpsd,all the signatures were calculated and analyzed using correlation and periodogram methods.Based on the results,the simulated autocorrelation functions were utilized for identifying different fissile mass with Elman neural network.The experimental results show that the Rpsd almost remains at constant amplitude in frequency range of 0-100 MHz,and is only related to the angle and source-detector distance.The trained Elman neural network is able to distinguish the characteristics of autocorrelation function and identify different fissile mass.The average identification rate reached 90% with high robustness.展开更多
<正>A mathematical method was developed to calculate the yield,energy spectrum and angular distribution of neutrons from D(d,n)~3He(D-D)reaction in a thick deuterium-titanium target for incident deuterons in ene...<正>A mathematical method was developed to calculate the yield,energy spectrum and angular distribution of neutrons from D(d,n)~3He(D-D)reaction in a thick deuterium-titanium target for incident deuterons in energies lower than 1.0MeV.The data of energy spectrum and angular distribution were applied to set up the neutron source model for the beam-shaping-assembly(BSA)design of Boron-Neutron-Capture-Therapy(BNCT)using MCNP-4C code. Three cases of D-D neutron source corresponding to incident deuteron energy of 1000,400 and 150 key were inves- tigated.The neutron beam characteristics were compared with the model of a 2.45 MeV mono-energetic and isotropic neutron source using an example BSA designed for BNCT irradiation.The results show significant differences in the neutron beam characteristics,particularly the fast neutron component and fast neutron dose in air,between the non-isotropic neutron source model and the 2.5 MeV mono-euergetic and isotropic neutron source model.展开更多
To further investigate the fusion neutron source based on a gas dynamic trap(GDT),characteristics of the GDT were,analyzed and physics analyses were made for a fusion neutron source based on the GDT concept.The prior ...To further investigate the fusion neutron source based on a gas dynamic trap(GDT),characteristics of the GDT were,analyzed and physics analyses were made for a fusion neutron source based on the GDT concept.The prior design of a GDT-based fusion neutron source was optimized based on a refreshed understanding of GDT operation.A two-step progressive development route of a GDT-based fusion neutron source was suggested.Potential applications of GDT axe discussed.Preliminary analyses show that a fusion neutron source based on the GDT concept is suitable for plasma-material interaction research,fusion material and subcomponent testing,and capable of driving a proof-of-principle fusion fission hybrid experimental facility.展开更多
In fast reactors, the inherent neutron source strength is often insufficient for monitoring the reactor start-up operation with ex-core detectors. To increase the subcritical neutron flux, an auxiliary neutron source ...In fast reactors, the inherent neutron source strength is often insufficient for monitoring the reactor start-up operation with ex-core detectors. To increase the subcritical neutron flux, an auxiliary neutron source subassembly(SSA) is generally used to overcome this problem. In this study, the estimated neutron source strength and detector count rate of an antimony-beryllium-based SSA are obtained using the deterministic transport code DORT and Monte Carlo calculations. Because the antimony activation rate is a critical parameter, its sensitivity to the capture cross section and neutron flux spectrum is studied. The reaction cross section sensitivity is studied by considering data from different evaluated nuclear data files.It is observed that, because of the variation in the cross sections from different evaluated nuclear data files, the values of the saturation gamma(> 1.67 MeV) activity and neutron strength predicted by ORIGEN2 lie within ±2%.The obtained antimony activation rate and sensitivity to the neutron flux are partially validated by irradiating samples of antimony in the KAMINI reactor. The average onegroup capture cross sections of bare and cadmium-covered 123Sb samples obtained by the ratio method are 4.0 and 1.78 b, respectively. The results of the calculation predicting the activated neutron source strength as a function of operating time and sensitivity to the neutron spectrum in the irradiation region are also presented.展开更多
Neutron radiation experiments of optocouplers at back-streaming white neutrons(back-n)in China Spallation Neutron Source(CSNS)are presented.The displacement damages induced by neutron radiation are analyzed.The perfor...Neutron radiation experiments of optocouplers at back-streaming white neutrons(back-n)in China Spallation Neutron Source(CSNS)are presented.The displacement damages induced by neutron radiation are analyzed.The performance degradations of two types of optocouplers are compared.The degradations of current transfer ratio(CTR)are analyzed,and the mechanisms induced by radiation are also demonstrated.With the increase of the accumulated fluence,the CTR is degrading linearly with neutron fluence.The radiation hardening of optocouplers can be improved when the forward current is increased.Other parameters related to CTR degradation of optocouplers are also analyzed.展开更多
基金supported by the Nuclear Energy Development Project of China (No.[2019]1342)the Presidential Foundation of HFIPS (No.YZJJ2022QN40)。
文摘Owing to the immobility of traditional reactors and spallation neutron sources,the demand for compact thermal neutron radiography(CTNR)based on accelerator neutron sources has rapidly increased in industrial applications.Recently,thermal neutron radiography experiments based on a D-T neutron generator performed by Hefei Institutes of Physical Science indicated a significant resolution deviation between the experimental results and the values calculated using the traditional resolution model.The experimental result was up to 23%lower than the calculated result,which hinders the achievement of the design goal of a compact neutron radiography system.A GEANT4 Monte Carlo code was developed to simulate the CTNR process,aiming to identify the key factors leading to resolution deviation.The effects of a low collimation ratio and high-energy neutrons were analyzed based on the neutron beam environment of the CTNR system.The results showed that the deviation was primarily caused by geometric distortion at low collimation ratios and radiation noise induced by highenergy neutrons.Additionally,the theoretical model was modified by considering the imaging position and radiation noise factors.The modified theoretical model was in good agreement with the experimental results,and the maximum deviation was reduced to 4.22%.This can be useful for the high-precision design of CTNR systems.
基金supported by Anhui Provincial Key R&D Program (202104g0102007)Hefei Municipal Natural Science Foundation (2022011)+2 种基金Collaborative Innovation Program of Hefei Science CenterChinese Academy of Sciences(2022HSC CIP024)International Partnership Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences (116134KYSB20200001)。
文摘Gamma-emitting radionuclide ^(99m)Tc is globally used for the diagnosis of various pathological conditions owing to its ideal single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) characteristics.However,the short half-life of ^(99m)Tc (T_(1/2)=6 h)makes it difficult to store or transport.Thus,the production of ^(99m)Tc is tied to its parent radionuclide ^(99)Mo (T_(1/2)=66 h).The major production paths are based on accelerators and research reactors.The reactor process presents the potential for nuclear proliferation owing to its use of highly enriched uranium (HEU).Accelerator-based methods tend to use deuterium–tritium(D–T) neutron sources but are hindered by the high cost of tritium and its challenging operation.In this study,a new ^(99)Mo production design was developed based on a deuterium–deuterium (D–D) gas dynamic trap fusion neutron source (GDT-FNS) and a subcritical blanket system (SBS) assembly with a low-enriched uranium (LEU) solution.GDT-FNS can provide a relatively high-neutron intensity,which is one of the advantages of ^(99)Mo production.We provide a Monte Carlo-based neutronics analysis covering the calculation of the subcritical multiplication factor (k_(s)) of the SBS,optimization design for the reflector,shielding layer,and ^(99)Mo production capacity.Other calculations,including the neutron flux and nuclear heating distributions,are also provided for an overall evaluation of the production system.The results demonstrated that the SBS meets the nuclear critical safety design requirement (k_(s)<0.97) and maintained a high ^(99)Mo production capacity.The proposed system can generate approximately 157 Ci ^(99)Mo for a stable 24 h operation with a neutron intensity of 1×10^(14) n/s,which can meet 50%of China’s demand in 2025.
基金Project supported by the Foundation of State Key Laboratory of China(Grant Nos.SKLIPR1903Z,1803)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.U2167208 and 11875223).
文摘Displacement damage effects on the charge-coupled device(CCD)induced by neutrons at the back-streaming white neutron source(Back-n)in the China Spallation Neutron Source(CSNS)are analyzed according to an online irradiation experiment.The hot pixels,random telegraph signal(RTS),mean dark signal,dark current and dark signal non-uniformity(DSNU)induced by Back-n are presented.The dark current is calculated according to the mean dark signal at various integration times.The single-particle displacement damage and transient response are also observed based on the online measurement data.The trends of hot pixels,mean dark signal,DSNU and RTS degradation are related to the integration time and irradiation fluence.The mean dark signal,dark current and DSNU2 are nearly linear with neutron irradiation fluence when nearly all the pixels do not reach saturation.In addition,the mechanisms of the displacement damage effects on the CCD are demonstrated by combining the experimental results and technology computer-aided design(TCAD)simulation.Radiation-induced traps in the space charge region of the CCD will act as generation/recombination centers of electron-hole pairs,leading to an increase in the dark signal.
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.11905196)。
文摘A scintillator detector consisting of a LaBr_(3)(Ce)(0.5%)scintillator,a photomultiplier tube(PMT),and an oscilloscope were used to study the neutron sensitivities of the LaBr_(3)(Ce)scintillator at the China Spallation Neutron Source(CSNS)Back-n white neutron source in the double-bunch and single-bunch operation modes,respectively.Under the two operational modes,the relative neutron sensitivity curves of the LaBr_(3)(Ce)scintillator in the energy regions of 1–20 MeV and 0.5–20 MeV were obtained for the first time.In the energy range of 1–20 MeV,the two curves were nearly identical.However the relative neutron sensitivity uncertainties of the double-bunch experiment were higher than those of the single-bunch experiment.The above results indicated that the single-bunch experiment's neutron sensitivity curve has a lower minimum measurable energy than the double-bunch experiment.Above the minimum measurable energy of the double-bunch experiment,there is little difference between the measured relative neutron sensitivity curves of the single-bunch and double-bunch experiments of the LaBr_(3)(Ce)scintillator and those of other scintillators with a similar neutron response signal intensity.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.11875273,U1832111,61964001,and 12275049)the Science Foundation of Guangdong Province of China(Grant No.2020B1515120025)+3 种基金the Neutron Physics Laboratory Funding of China Academy of Engineering Physics(Grant No.2018BC03)the General Project of Jiangxi Province Key Research and Development Program(Grant No.20212BBG73012)the Key Scientific Research Projects of Henan Higher Education Institutions(Grant Nos.23A490002 and 24A490001)the Engineering Research Center of Nuclear Technology Application(Grant No.HJSJYB2021-4)。
文摘The energy-resolved neutron imaging spectrometer(ERNI)will be installed in 2022 according to the spectrometer construction plan of the China Spallation Neutron Source(CSNS).The instrument requires neutron detectors with the coverage area of approximately 4 m^(2)in 5°-170°neutron diffraction angle.The neutron detection efficiency needs to be better than 40%at 1 A neutron wavelength.The spatial resolution should be better than 3 mm×50 mm in the horizontal and vertical directions respectively.We develop a one-dimensional scintillator neutron detector which is composed of the^(6)Li F/Zn S(Ag)scintillation screens,the wavelength-shifting fiber(WLSF)array,the silicon photomultipliers(Si PMs),and the self-designed application-specific integrated circuit(ASIC)readout electronics.The pixel size of the detector is designed as 3 mm×50 mm,and the neutron-sensitive area is 50 mm×200 mm.The performance of the detector prototype is measured using neutron beam 20#of the CSNS.The maximum counting rate of 247 k Hz,and the detection efficiency of63%at 1.59 A are obtained.The test results show that the performance of the detector fulfills the physical requirements of the ERNI under construction at the CSNS.
基金This work was jointly supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(No.2016YFA0401600)National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.11235012 and 12035017)+1 种基金the CSNS Engineering Projectthe Back-n Collaboration Consortium fund。
文摘Back-streaming neutrons from the spallation target of the China Spallation Neutron Source(CSNS)that emit through the incoming proton channel were exploited to build a white neutron beam facility(the so-called Back-n white neutron source),which was completed in March 2018.The Back-n neutron beam is very intense,at approximately 29107 n/cm2/s at 55 m from the target,and has a nominal proton beam with a power of 100 kW in the CSNS-I phase and a kinetic energy of 1.6 GeV and a thick tungsten target in multiple slices with modest moderation from the cooling water through the slices.In addition,the excellent energy spectrum spanning from 0.5 eV to 200 MeV,and a good time resolution related tothe time-of-flight measurements make it a typical white neutron source for nuclear data measurements;its overall performance is among that of the best white neutron sources in the world.Equipped with advanced spectrometers,detectors,and application utilities,the Back-n facility can serve wide applications,with a focus on neutron-induced cross-sectional measurements.This article presents an overview of the neutron beam characteristics,the experimental setups,and the ongoing applications at Backn.
基金supported by the Chinese TMSR Strategic Pioneer Science and Technology Project under Grant No.XDA02010000
文摘The molten salt reactor(MSR) has received much recent attention. The presence of beryllium and the mixing of actinides with light nuclei in the fuel salt result in a relatively strong neutron source that can affect the surveillance at subcritical and transient characteristics during operation. In this study, we predict the inherent neutron sources based on a MSR model. The calculation shows that in the fresh core, the inherent neutron sources are mainly from alpha-induced neutrons. After power operation, the inherent neutron sources become remarkably stronger due to photoneutrons. Although being an insignificant part in the total neutron population during operation, the inherent neutron sources can be used as the installed neutron source after shutdown. If the MSR has continuously operated at full power(2 MWt) for 10 days,then there would be no need for the installed source within80 days after shutdown. After operating constantly for500 days, the installed neutron source can be eliminated within 2 years after shutdown.
文摘A neutron source driven by electron accelerator is proposed in Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics (SINAP). The facility is planned for the study of nuclear data in Thorium-Uranium cycling system, and for material research. A detailed simulation of the neutron source is performed for the program to get the neutron generation maximum economically. Several parameters of the facility, which affect the neutron yield and the neutron escape from outer surface of the target, are analyzed respectively. Besides, the yielding neutron spectrum and the escaping neutron angular distribution are calculated and discussed.
文摘This paper proposes a sub-critical nuclear energy system driven by fusion neutron source, FDS, which can be used to transmute long-lived radioactive wastes and to produce fissile nuclear fuel as a way for early application of fusion technology. The necessity and feasibility to develop that system in China are illustrated on the basis of prediction of the demand of energy source in the first half of the 21th century, the status of current fission energy supply and the progress in fusion technology in the world. The characteristics of fusion neutron driver and the potential for transmutation of long-lived nuclear wastes and breeding of fissile nuclear fuel in a blanket are analyzed. A scenario of development steps is proposed.
基金supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Anhui Province(No.1808085MA10)Anhui Provincial Key R&D Program(No.202104g0102007)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.21805283)。
文摘The utilization of neutrons markedly affects the medical isotope yield of a subcritical system driven by an external D-T neutron source.The general methods to improve the utilization of neutrons include moderating multiplying,and reflecting neutrons,which ignores the use of neutrons that backscatter to the source direction.In this study,a stacked structure was formed by assembling the multiplier and the low-enriched uranium solution to enable the full use of neutrons that backscatter to the source direction and further improve the utilization of neutrons.A model based on SuperMC was used to evaluate the neutronics and safety behavior of the subcritical system,such as the neutron effective multiplication factor,neutron energy spectrum,medical isotope yield,and heat deposition.Based on the calculation results,when the intensity of the neutron source was 59×10^(13)n/s,the optimized design with a stacked structure could increase the yield of ^(99)Mo to182 Ci/day,which is approximately 16% higher than that obtained with a single-layer structure.The inlet H_(2)O coolant velocity of 1.0 m/s and initial temperature of 20℃ were also found to be sufficient to prevent boiling of the fuel solution.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.41704113,41674129)Key R&D Projects in Shandong Province(No.2019GSF109047)+1 种基金China Postdoctoral Science Foundation Grant(No.2019M661912)Science and Technology Plan Project of Shandong Education of China(Nos.J18KA190 and J18KA128)。
文摘Controllable D-D neutron sources have a long service life,low cost,and non-radioactivity.There are favorable prospects for its application in geophysical well logging,since traditional chemical radioactive sources used for well logging pose potential threats to the safety of the human body and environment.This paper presents an improved method to measure formation density that employs a D-D neutron source.In addition,the lithological effect on the measured density was removed to better estimate the formation porosity.First,we investigated the spatial distribution of capture gamma rays through Monte Carlo simulations as well as the relationship between the ratio of capture gamma ray counts and formation density to establish theoretical support for the design of density logging tools and their corresponding data processing methods.Second,we obtained the far to near detector counts of captured gamma rays for an optimized tool structure and then established its correlation with the density and porosity of three typical formations with pure quartz,calcite,and dolomite minerals.Third,we determined the values for correcting the densities of sandstone and dolomite with the same porosity using limestone data as the reference and established the equations for calculating the correction values,which lays a solid foundation for accurately calculating formation porosity.We observed that the capture gamma ray counts first increased then decreased and varied in different formations;this was especially observed in high-porosity formations.Under the same lithologic conditions(rock matrix),as the porosity increases,the peak value of gamma ray counts moves toward the neutron source.At different detector-source distances,the ratio of the capture gamma ray counts was well correlated with the formation density.An equation of the formation density conversion was established based on the ratio of capture gamma ray counts at the detector-source distances of 30 cm and 65 cm,and the calculated values were consistent with the true values.After correction,the formation density was highly consistent with the true value of the limestone density,and the mean absolute error was 0.013 g/cm3.The calculated porosity values were very close to the true values,and the mean relative error was 2.33%,highlighting the accuracy of the proposed method.These findings provide a new method for developing D-D neutron source logging tools and their well-log data processing methods.
基金This paper is based upon work supported by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research under award number FA9550-14-1-0045The project was also supported by the NNSA coop-erative agreement DE-NA0002008the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's PULSE program(12-63-PULSE-FP014).
文摘Relativistic electron beams driven by laser wakefield acceleration were utilized to produce ultrashort neutron sources.The experiment was carried out on the 38 fs,~0.5 J,800 nm Ti:Sapphire laser in the 10 TW UT 3 laser lab at University of Texas at Austin.The target gas was a high density pulsed gas jet composed of 90%He and 10%N 2.The laser pulse with a peak intensity of 1.5×10^(18) W/cm^(2) interacted with the target to create a cylindrical plasma channel of 60 mm radius(FWHM)and 1.5 mm length(FWHM).Electron beams of~80 pC with the Gaussian energy distribution centered at 37 MeV and a width of 30 MeV(FWHM)were produced via laser wakefield acceleration.Neutron fluences of~2.4×10^(6) per shot with hundreds of ps temporal length were generated through bremsstrahlung and subsequent photoneutron reactions in a 26.6 mm thick tungsten converter.Results were compared with those of simulations using EPOCH and GEANT4,showing agreement in electron spectrum,neutron fluence,neutron angular distribution and conversion rate.
基金The project supported partly by the National Science Foundation of Anhui Province (No. 0104360)
文摘Effect of various spatial and energy distributions of fusion neutron source on the calculation of neutron wall loading of Tokamak D-D fusion device has been investigated by means of the 3-D Monte Carlo code MCNP. A realistic Monte Carlo source model was developed based on the accurate representation of the spatial distribution and energy spectrum of fusion neutrons to solve the complicated problem of tokamak fusion neutron source modelling. The results show that those simplified source models will introduce significant uncertainties. For accurate estimation of the key nuclear responses of the tokamak design and analyses, the use of the realistic source is recommended. In addition, the accumulation of tritium produced during D-D plasma operation should be carefully considered.
基金Supported by Natural Science Foundation Project of CQ (CSTC2009BB2188)Fundamental Research Funds for Central Universities (No. CDJXS10120013)
文摘Experiments were performed on a high-speed online random neutron analyzing system (HORNA system) with a 252Cf neutron source (up to 1 GHz sampling rate and 3 input data channel),to obtain timeand frequency dependent signatures which are sensitive to changes in the composition,fissile mass and configuration of the fissile assembly.The data were acquired by three high-speed synchronized acquisition cards at different detector angles,source-detector distances and block sizes.According to the relationship between 252Cf source and the ratio of power spectral density,Rpsd,all the signatures were calculated and analyzed using correlation and periodogram methods.Based on the results,the simulated autocorrelation functions were utilized for identifying different fissile mass with Elman neural network.The experimental results show that the Rpsd almost remains at constant amplitude in frequency range of 0-100 MHz,and is only related to the angle and source-detector distance.The trained Elman neural network is able to distinguish the characteristics of autocorrelation function and identify different fissile mass.The average identification rate reached 90% with high robustness.
文摘<正>A mathematical method was developed to calculate the yield,energy spectrum and angular distribution of neutrons from D(d,n)~3He(D-D)reaction in a thick deuterium-titanium target for incident deuterons in energies lower than 1.0MeV.The data of energy spectrum and angular distribution were applied to set up the neutron source model for the beam-shaping-assembly(BSA)design of Boron-Neutron-Capture-Therapy(BNCT)using MCNP-4C code. Three cases of D-D neutron source corresponding to incident deuteron energy of 1000,400 and 150 key were inves- tigated.The neutron beam characteristics were compared with the model of a 2.45 MeV mono-energetic and isotropic neutron source using an example BSA designed for BNCT irradiation.The results show significant differences in the neutron beam characteristics,particularly the fast neutron component and fast neutron dose in air,between the non-isotropic neutron source model and the 2.5 MeV mono-euergetic and isotropic neutron source model.
基金supported by the IAEA Coordinate Research Project F1.30.15 Conceptual Development of Steady-State Compact Fusion Neutron Sources,the Knowledge Innovation Projects of Chinese Academy of Sciences(No.KJCX2-YW-N37)National Magnetic Confinement Fusion Science Program of China(No.2011GB114004)
文摘To further investigate the fusion neutron source based on a gas dynamic trap(GDT),characteristics of the GDT were,analyzed and physics analyses were made for a fusion neutron source based on the GDT concept.The prior design of a GDT-based fusion neutron source was optimized based on a refreshed understanding of GDT operation.A two-step progressive development route of a GDT-based fusion neutron source was suggested.Potential applications of GDT axe discussed.Preliminary analyses show that a fusion neutron source based on the GDT concept is suitable for plasma-material interaction research,fusion material and subcomponent testing,and capable of driving a proof-of-principle fusion fission hybrid experimental facility.
文摘In fast reactors, the inherent neutron source strength is often insufficient for monitoring the reactor start-up operation with ex-core detectors. To increase the subcritical neutron flux, an auxiliary neutron source subassembly(SSA) is generally used to overcome this problem. In this study, the estimated neutron source strength and detector count rate of an antimony-beryllium-based SSA are obtained using the deterministic transport code DORT and Monte Carlo calculations. Because the antimony activation rate is a critical parameter, its sensitivity to the capture cross section and neutron flux spectrum is studied. The reaction cross section sensitivity is studied by considering data from different evaluated nuclear data files.It is observed that, because of the variation in the cross sections from different evaluated nuclear data files, the values of the saturation gamma(> 1.67 MeV) activity and neutron strength predicted by ORIGEN2 lie within ±2%.The obtained antimony activation rate and sensitivity to the neutron flux are partially validated by irradiating samples of antimony in the KAMINI reactor. The average onegroup capture cross sections of bare and cadmium-covered 123Sb samples obtained by the ratio method are 4.0 and 1.78 b, respectively. The results of the calculation predicting the activated neutron source strength as a function of operating time and sensitivity to the neutron spectrum in the irradiation region are also presented.
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.11875223,11805155,and 11690043)the Chinese Academy of Sciences Strategic Pilot Science and Technology Project(Grant No.XDA15015000)+1 种基金the Innovation Foundation of Radiation Application,China(Grant No.KFZC2018040201)the Foundation of State Key Laboratory of China(Grant Nos.SKLIPR1803 and 1903Z)
文摘Neutron radiation experiments of optocouplers at back-streaming white neutrons(back-n)in China Spallation Neutron Source(CSNS)are presented.The displacement damages induced by neutron radiation are analyzed.The performance degradations of two types of optocouplers are compared.The degradations of current transfer ratio(CTR)are analyzed,and the mechanisms induced by radiation are also demonstrated.With the increase of the accumulated fluence,the CTR is degrading linearly with neutron fluence.The radiation hardening of optocouplers can be improved when the forward current is increased.Other parameters related to CTR degradation of optocouplers are also analyzed.
